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u e e .h s .w e e .n s 3 D. 0 0 H R E H T 0 R B R n d o M 0 /N\ MULTIPLE GYLIlYDER BNG-INE.

Patented Sept d w M M M (No Model.)

P. BROTHERHOOD. beets-Sham MULTPLB CYLINDER RNOINR.

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N Vo E (No Model.) `3 Sheets--Sheet 3.

P. BROTHERHOOD. MULTIPLE GYLINDEE ENGINE.

No. 284,372. l Patented Sept.- 4, 1883.

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1 jUNrTED STATES f f PATENT "Ormel-3.l

l PETER BROTHERHOOD, OE LAMBETH, COUNTY 0E sUEEEY, ENGLAND.

MULTIPLE-CYLINDER ENGINE.

1 srEcrErcATroN forming part 'of :letters raeneNmes'geve, dateafseptember 4, 1883.

Application filed June 16, 1883. (No model.) l

To all whom` it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER BROTHEEHooD, a citizen of England, residing at. Lambeth, in the county of Surrey, England, have invented a new and" useful Improvement `in Multiple- CylinderEngines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to engines of thekind having two or more single-acting cylinders radiating from acentral cavity within which revolves a single crank linked directlyby connecting-rods to theseveral pistons. u

The chief object of my improvement is to alternatethe supply and exhaust of each cylinder by means "of a slide-valve, and to rovide at the Sametime means of relieving the piston from back-pressure during its returnstroke.

Usually engines of the kind to which my invention relates are made with three cylinders, and I will therefore describe such an engine, embodying myimprovement, with reference to accompanying drawin s. y

Figure 1 is a central verticall longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line X X of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a similar section on the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa side elevation. Fig; 5 is a part section on .the line Z Z of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a plan of one of the cylndersand its slide-case. `A is the central cavity into which the cylinders successively discharge the' exhaust, which passes awayby the exhaust-pipe a. on oneside. i O B is the engine-shaft working in a long bearing, preferably lined with soft metal, and having the balanced' crank-pin C. On this crankpin bear the segmental ends of theuthree connecting-rods D, whichgare held to it by two rings, d. Each connecting-rodD is linked to the deep piston E, working in the cylinder F. So far the construction and arrangement are of the usual kind. i y y I now proceed to describe the modifications which I adoptin carrying out my improvement.

Each cylinder F has by its side a cylindri- "cal slide-valve case, G, communicating with the cylinder by a short port, g, and opening into the central cavity, A. The middle part of the slide-valve case receives supply of `steam or other working-fluid by a branch, h,

from a cavity, H, to which the working-fluid is admitted through a regulating-valve, h', controlled by the governor.` The slide-valve case G is bored somewhat larger in its inner than in its outerpart, and it is fitted with a cylindrical tubular slide-valve, K, which is worked by a connecting-rod, 7c, having a segmental end bearing against an eccentric, L. This eccentric is free to rotate on a stationary boss, l, projecting inwardly from the side of1 the engine-casing, and having its interior lined with soft metal, so as to form a bearing for a secondary shaft, b, in line with the main shaft B. On the shaft b is a disk, receiving in aslot'a bush iitted on the end of the crank-pin `C, and a pin, l', projecting from the back of the disk, enters a hole in the eccentric L. Thus the eccentric is caused to revolve in unison with the crank 7o C, while there is freedom to allow for error of alignment of the shafts B and b. The eccentric L is balanced by a block, Z2, and it has a groove, Z3, receiving the edges of the segmentalends of the valve-rods Ic. The eccentric Lbeing `properly set relatively to the crank C, the valves K alternate the admission and emission of the working-fluid for the cylinders in succession, the exhaust in each case passing through the valve into its central cavity. `The inner end of each valve is of a greater diameter than its outer end, thus forming the annular shoulder a', against which the working duid fromthe branch hacts, thereby keeping the segmental ends of the` connecting-rods k pressed against the eccentric, so that there is no blow resulting from attenuation of their movement, even when the speed is great. As engines of this kind are especially adapted for being worked expansively with steam, compressed air, or other iiuid at very high pressure, and the eccentric is therefore-set so as to `cut off supply at a Very early period of the piston-stroke, itis necessary to provide for relief of the pressure that would act against the back-stroke of 4the piston when the slide closes the cylinder-port during` exhaust. For this purpose I cut through the piston a rectangular slot, c, and I eut a corresponding slot, e', through the Wall of the eye. d, at the outer end of the connecting-rod D, which eye `is made tubular. The latter slot is cut in such a position that as the piston E is making its back-stroke at the time when the valvesK are IOO 2 w asaava about closing the exhaust it comes into coincidence with the slot e of the piston, and thus there. is afforded free passage for exhaust from behind the piston through the slot e, and the slot e', and eye d into the cavity A, and the backpressue in the cylinder is thus/completely relieved, notwithstanding that the port g may be closed by the valve.

For governing the engine, I mount on a sleeve fitted on thesecondary shaft b weights f M in the ,form of bent levers, the inner armsof which bear against a spindle, m, which is free to slide in a hole bored centrally along the shaft I). This spindle bears against a lever, N, which is controlled by an adjustable spring, n, and which engages the stein of the balanced regulating-valve h.

.Although I have described my improvement more particularly as applied in a threecylinder engine, it is obvious that the arrangcment of slide and eccentric and the slots lin the piston and eye of the connecting-rod are equally applicable when there are less or more than three cylinders, and whether the engine .ing their inner ends of larger diameter than their outer ends, substantially as and for thc purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination of the connecting-rod D, having the tubular eye d, provided with the slot c', opening into said eye, with the piston E, having the slot e, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 4th day of June, A. D. 1883.

PETER BROTHERHOOD. Witnesses:

. lOLivnn IMRAY,

J. WATT. 

